Category: Food

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Christmas Spritz

I’ve loved the buttery, melty taste of Spritz cookies since I was a little girl. I used to watch my dad shoot cookie dough from a pastry bag into fancy shapes that turned magically into stripes and flowers and stars–each with a different flavor too.

Now, I’m not so hot with a pastry bag, but even so, I’m happy to tell you that I made these little sweeties…

all by myself—no chef skills required.

What it takes is this lovely little Cookie Press from Wilton. I’ve always wanted to try one so today, I got really brave and to my surprise, it was easy! You simply make the dough, fill the press and click the dough onto the cookie sheet in any of a dozen different shapes. Sim-ple.

Ingredients:

3-1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1-1/2 cups butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

2 Tbsps milk

1-1/2 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour and baking powder and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla. Slowly add flour mixture and mix well.

Fill cookie press with dough and fit with whichever disc you want.

Press cookies onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Add sprinkles or sanding sugar or whatever floats your boat.

Bake 10 minutes. Cool 2 minutes on the pan,

then transfer to cooling rack.

Won’t Santa just LOVE these? Of course he will!

Classic Christmas Spritz
 
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Ingredients
  • 3-1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1-1/2 cups butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 Tbsps milk
  • 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Combine flour and baking powder and set aside.
  3. In a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  4. Add egg, milk and vanilla.
  5. Slowly add flour mixture and mix well.
  6. Fill cookie press with dough and fit with whichever disc you want.
  7. Press cookies onto ungreased cookie sheet.
  8. Bake 10 minutes. Cool 2 minutes on the pan, then transfer to cooling rack
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Peppermint Cream Corn Puffs

Perfect munchie for an evening of “Miracle On 34th Street,” or “One Magic Christmas,” or “Muppet Christmas Carol.” I could go on and on here. Sooo many incredible Holiday movies that we haven’t seen– in, well…a year.

Funny how that works.

If you love peppermint, and popcorn–but don’t like all the old maid surprises that come with real kernal-ly popcorn–then you are about to be saved! No, I mean it. This lovely stuff is crunchy and buttery and salty and then–you add creamy peppermint to it and…

well, all I can say is…

Oh. My. Word.

Here’s how to do it.

First, you pour corn puffs into a big bowl–I used about half the bag.

Then, crush about 20 candy canes–I used the blender so it was nearly a powder.

Melt one package of white chocolate–gently in a double boiler–or however you do it.

Now, mix the candy canes and the white chocolate. Add 1 tsp. of peppermint oil.

Pour over corn puffs and mix until pieces are coated. Allow to set on wax paper covered cookie sheet. If you’re in a real hurry–set it in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes. Store in airtight container or large Ziploc bag.

If I could share a piece of this with you–you’d go right out and buy all the stuff to make it–this very minute. But since I can’t…you’ll have to just trust me on this.

 

 

Happy Birthday April!!

~ Oh, and if you’re inclined to do the “Twelve Days of Christmas” for someone special–here’s a lovely Nativity style— sure to warm a few hearts.

3.3 from 4 reviews
Peppermint Cream Corn Puffs
 
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Ingredients
  • 1 bag Corn Puffs
  • 20 medium candy canes
  • 1- 12 oz. package white chocolate morsels
  • 1 tsp. peppermint oil
Instructions
  1. First, you pour corn puffs into a big bowl--I used about half the bag.
  2. Then, crush candy canes--I used the blender so it was nearly a powder.
  3. Melt one package of white chocolate--gently in a double boiler.
  4. Now, mix the candy canes and the white chocolate.
  5. Add 1 tsp. of peppermint oil.
  6. Pour over corn puffs and mix until pieces are coated.
  7. Allow to set on wax paper covered cookie sheet.
  8. If you're in a real hurry--set it in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.
  9. Store in airtight container or large Ziploc bag.
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A Thankful Day

One week ago, this very day

we gathered all the little turkeys together,

and cooked and talked and laughed…

and played and ate…

oh, my–

how…

we

ate.

It was a glorious day–but then, my camera died so I had to gather all these pictures from random strangers and small woodland creatures.  And now…a week later, when all the leftovers are finally gone,

I can actually prove that the day happened—in the first place.

Seemed important somehow.

Thanks for humoring me.

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In This Kitchen

At this warm and wonderful time of year–there is always something going on in this busy kitchen of ours. The mixer is going non-stop on some days…

making sure we have enough wheat bread on hand to make us all happy.

Something even little fingers can help with.

Speaking of bread–this batch has been drying since last week. There’s just such a fine line between half-hearted-bread-drying and the serious, no-nonsense-professional-six-day deal we do around here.

When it comes to stuffing—perhaps you already know—

we aren’t kidding around.

Heh, heh, heh.

In fact, I happen to know that there were even some tears shed over this part of the cooking…

alas…it could not be helped–and someone had to do it.  :}

We even found time to toss together some incredible Cinnamon Honey Butter…you know…to go with the bread. Busy joint, this kitchen of ours.

Then, at the end of the day there is that slowing down, big deep breath moment in this kitchen, when perhaps the most glorious tasting thing in the world is…

a simple cup of herb tea, with just a smidge of honey.

Because, after all–the baking is finally, finally finished…

at least for today.

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Pumpkin Spice Fudge

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In my never ending quest to find all the incredible pumpkin recipes on the face of the earth, that are NOT called pie–we’ve talked about this before— I came upon this recipe innocently enough on a blog called Family Bites. This amazing fudge is smooth, creamy and —I shutter to say—has all the positive traits of pumpkin pie without…you know…being…pumpkin pie. All the right spices and flavors in a little, bitty scrumptious pumpkiny morsel—that I dare you to leave alone for 10 minutes at a time. I know I couldn’t–and I’m incredibly brave.

It’s magic I tell you.

Beware…be-WARE!!

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Ingredients:

3 cups sugar

3/4 cup butter

2/3 cup evaporated milk

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

2 T. corn syrup

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

12 oz. white chocolate chips

7 oz. jar marshmallow cream

1 tsp. vanilla

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Directions:

Melt butter in a 3-1/2 quart saucepan. Add milk, pumpkin, and sugar. Stir over medium heat till sugar begins to dissolve, then add corn syrup and spice. Cook, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a full boil. Allow the candy to boil for 10 minutes–stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, in the bowl of your mixer, blend marshmallow cream and vanilla for about a minute. Let sit.

Remove candy from heat and slowly add the white chocolate chips, a handful at a time. Stir until melted, then add the rest a bit at a time. Pour candy into marshmallow mixture and blend on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Immediately pour into a lightly buttered 9 x 13 Pyrex baking dish. Allow to set for about 30 minutes. Cut in squares and cover with foil.

Move over pie–you’ve met your match!!

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5.0 from 1 reviews
Pumpkin Spice Fudge
 
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Ingredients
  • 3 cups sugar
  • ¾ cup butter
  • ⅔ cup evaporated milk
  • ½ cup canned pumpkin
  • 2 T. corn syrup
  • 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
  • 12 oz. white chocolate chips
  • 7 oz. jar marshmallow cream
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
Instructions
  1. Melt butter in a 3-1/2 quart saucepan.
  2. Add milk, pumpkin, and sugar.
  3. Stir over medium heat till sugar begins to dissolve, then add corn syrup and spice.
  4. Cook, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a full boil.
  5. Allow the candy to boil for 10 minutes--stirring occasionally.
  6. Meanwhile, in the bowl of your mixer, blend marshmallow cream and vanilla for about a minute.
  7. Let sit.
  8. Remove candy from heat and slowly add the white chocolate chips, a handful at a time.
  9. Stir until melted, then add the rest a bit at a time.
  10. Pour candy into marshmallow mixture and blend on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Immediately pour into a lightly buttered 9 x 13 Pyrex baking dish.
  11. Allow to set for about 30 minutes.
  12. Cut in squares and cover with foil.

“If you concentrate on finding what is good in every situation, you will discover that your life will suddenly be filled with gratitude, a feeling that nurtures the soul.”

— Rabbi Harold Kushner